ADVERTISEMENT

Atlanta Prosecutor Gets Judge’s Approval for Trump Grand Jury

Atlanta Prosecutor Gets Judge’s Approval for Trump Grand Jury

The Atlanta prosecutor investigating former President Donald Trump’s attempt to overturn Georgia’s election results received approval to convene a special-purpose grand jury to hear evidence.

The approval of the special panel, which came in an order filed Monday by Fulton County Chief Judge Christopher S. Brasher, clears the way for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to subpoena witnesses, something Willis has said is necessary because key witnesses are refusing to cooperate otherwise.

Georgia law prohibits tampering with election results or soliciting another person to do so.

Willis launched the investigation almost a year ago, following revelations that Trump called Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to pressure him to change the election’s outcome. In the phone call, which Raffensperger recorded, Trump pressed him to “find” 11,780 votes -- just enough to reverse the results.

Trump and his allies have since falsely claimed that the election was rigged across the nation, despite no evidence of widespread fraud.

In a letter to Brasher seeking the special grand jury, Willis wrote that Raffensperger was among “a significant number of witnesses and prospective witnesses” who “have refused to cooperate with the investigation absent a subpoena requiring their testimony.” 

The special grand jury will last for 12 months, beginning May 2. 

©2022 Bloomberg L.P.